Speaking of Rogues’ Galleries

As we move into yet another phase in the political life of this land that gave us birth, please Saint Lucia don’t let the shenanigans force you to hang your head in shame. All is not lost. In fact, it is not a bad thing; it’s good that the opposition forces, official and self- appointed, seem to be coming en masse out of their cob-webbed hiding places. We see and hear them increasingly on our TV, at press conferences, among the Constitution Park loiterers, in Parliament, on Facebook, on Zoom.

I say it’s a good thing because whenever they open their mouths, they unwittingly provide us with opportunities to make educated comparisons between them and the members and supporters of the governing party. Again I say it is good, because whenever they bring on their characteristic shouting and vulgarities, their hyper hypocrisy and outright lies, their blatant reworking of history and their general vacuity, we easily observe the glaring differences between them and the governing party, and once again we the supporters cannot help but be extremely thankful for the sake of our beloved Saint Lucia that they are where they are, on the periphery.

Witness the current Rogues’ Gallery’s leading culprits: first, there’s the déclassé, sans visa mad bull who has convinced himself he is leading some kind of charge. Are we to believe his sheepish followers also include the informed Dr Kenny Anthony, the former PM who once unforgettably declared him a most dangerous prospect for local politics? Can you imagine Dr. Anthony under this man’s thumb, dancing to his tune? I certainly cannot!

Then there’s the present leader only in name and his toxic, by no means hilarious, highly concerning second in command. Are these people so desperate that they will embrace help for their cause regardless of source, regardless of history? Will they submit to the self- described king of Castries Central, despite what they know that everyone else knows they know?

Coming from another direction to join in quite prominently, we have the formerly comatose, now recently awakened (sort of) National Trust with its own several suspects. For years the Trust sat by almost invisible, doing nothing. Not even broken signs could they mend on the one property which was bringing them good money. An embarrassment, really. As the PM observed from early days, the director is no manager—but should be. No managerial skills to talk of. Clearly a square peg etc. But he has been there for decades collecting a very healthy salary. Most Saint Lucians can see for themselves the Trust needs a competent person at its helm. All those years he has been in the driver’s seat. What has he done for his adopted home? No wonder, when asked during a television interview to name any projects the Trust had undertaken in the last three years, then 10 years, memory failed.

But the director seems also to be delusional. It was most embarrassing to realize he thinks he and his cronies are pushing back against the government’s plans for the old “Royal Goal,” not the Royal Gaol, mind you. The director of the Trust repeatedly condemned the demolition of the “goal” for a good hour over Zoom before he was corrected. Unbelievable? Ah, but true!

As for the new directorate. Alas! Birds of a political feather. There’s also the wannabe historian who tells us about things that “more than likely would have happened.” That’s not history, that’s convenient speculation. Your exhalations lack credibility. For instance: “It’s more than likely that the gaol was built by slaves?” Whaaat? What did your research tell you? If you live to criticize your nemesis who has permanent resident status in your head, then you must get your declarations right. You and the Trust again seriously erred in the matter of Cabot. The respective experts have so pronounced.

We must not forget the junky “journalists”: Let us identify a small sample. There is the bespectacled female prevaricator, complete with equally false tresses; there is the recently freed cockalorum, and there is Crazy Christo, the insane creative himself. The first has not an iota of journalistic skill. Not one ounce. She tries in vain to copy Bowtie Man’s engaging style. The cocky cockalorum has no pride; quite shameless. And at this point the Insane One really seems to be losing it. He can’t wait for another chance at the fat salary he once was paid for doing nothing that might be described as creative, save by himself.

There are a few more in the Gallery, of course, but for now we’ll end with the latest ranter. Another one who was drawing another fat salary in Cuba for doing only heaven knows what. He’s back, with his usual aggressiveness. Since the Cubans are not taking him on he has become more restless, more vicious, not to say more than ever angry. He cannot wait to get into the Parliament of St Lucia. Of course, most of us know he stands not a chance. But then let’s double up our efforts to keep him where he belongs. In the political wilderness, where else?

This article first appeared in the April 2021 edition of the STAR Monthly Review. Be sure to get your printed copy on newsstands or view it here: https://issuu.com/starbusinessweek/docs/star_monthly_review_-_april_30_2021